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As I was checking in with our sister sites this week, a post on 5 Minutes for Special Needs by Laurie, mom of four girls – two with bipolar, ADHD and developmental delays, really stood out to me. Although I am not dealing with special needs children myself, my own family has it’s own set of holes in the wall, and we can all use a little extra hope.

Hope Comes Through A Hole In My Wall

Anyone else living in a trashed house? I do. It’s the kind where rays of sunshine pour over beautifully painted walls – well, mostly, except for the place where our 8 year old kicked a hole through one in a rage months ago. Or where doors are missing from being slammed through frames. Or where carpet has zig-zags of missing pile after the Timed-Out-One took her anger out on it.

The brokeness reveals the beauty.

Life with behavioral special needs ain’t pretty. And our poor homes know that just as well as our families – trying their best to live well despite the challenges, often not seeming to measure up to them.

But you know what? There have been a few holes in the wall that I haven’t patched… for a reason. They’re a memorial to the challenges we HAVE managed to overcome. Like the one made by a child diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder after years in foster care, who recently graduated from that diagnosis and now has friends and shows care for others. And the one made by her little sister who used to be incontinent, but with tireless effort in physical therapy, has more control over that part of her life (and the shame-based-rage that used to come with it).

Those holes – household blemishes to an outsider – mean wholeness in the lives of my children.

Finish reading this post….

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom managing editor Lolli. You can find Lolli blogging at Better in Bulk and tweeting at @1momof5.

 
Photo by Lolli